Snitter
Snitter is one of the two main protagonists (alongside Rowf) of Richard Adams' 1977 book The Plague Dogs, and its 1982 animated film adaptation. He is a fox terrier who once had a kind and loving master named Adam Wood until he was hit by a car and was sold to a scientific research facility. He was voiced by the late John Hurt, who also voiced Hazel from the 1987 film Watership Down and General Woundwort from the Watership Down TV series. Biography He once had a beloved and caring master, but when he was hit by a car, Snitter was sold to a research lab, where he meets up with a black lab named Rowf. The scientists in the lab have performed numerous brain surgeries on Snitter, merging his conscious and subconscious mind. This causes him to have nightmarish flashes and dreams at random times, whether he is asleep or awake. Frequently he hallucinates the sight of his master approaching, and turns round in joyful greeting, only to find there is no one there. After another experiment on Rowf, Snitter squeezes to his cage and they discover that his door is unlatched. They explore the facility in order to escape until they sneak into an incinerator. While Snitter starts to dream about his master, the two dogs realize that they're about to be burned as the scientists prepare to start up the incinerator before they narrowly escape. Initially relieved and eager to experience their new freedom, the dogs are soon faced not only with the realities of life in the wild but with another more terrifying realization; they are being hunted by their former captors. They come to reluctantly befriend a fox known as The Tod in order to obtain food in the wild; they initially hunt domestic sheep grazing on the local hills. Snitter hopes for a new home as he once had a master. However, when he comes across a seemingly innocent farmer, he accidentally steps onto the trigger as he tries to jump into the man's arms, causing the gun to shoot into the man's face and lose hope for Snitter. As time passes, the two dogs grow thin and bony, having to steal more and more food while still avoiding capture. The Tod assists them by killing a lab-hired hunter; the man's corpse is set upon and eaten by the two dogs. As the three wander about aimlessly, the 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment and the media are roped into the pursuit, driven by rumors of the two dogs carrying bubonic plague and murdering humans and sheep. The Tod comes up with a plan to distract the hunters while Snitter and Rowf make a run for the train, but he eventually gets killed. Fortunately, the fox's distraction was long enough for the two dogs to make it to the sea. As they make it to Ravenglass, they are chased by the scientists in a helicopter until they reach the shoreline. As the army close in on the dogs, Snitter claim to see an island and starts to swim and Rowf reluctantly follows. The dogs swim in a mist, but they can't see the island. Snitter is about to accept death until Rowf claims to see the island and urges Snitter to keep paddling as they disappear behind the mist. It is unknown what happened to them afterwards. However, in the book, they were eventually found by a fisherman and brought back to land, where they are happily reunited with Snitter's long-lost owner. However, in the film, as a song about dying and Heaven plays, it is implied that the dogs presumably drowned. Category:Animals Category:Tragic Category:Anthropomorphic Category:Optimists Category:Scapegoat Category:Mentally Ill Category:Presumed Deceased Category:Pure Good Category:Voice of Reason Category:Male Category:Book Heroes Category:Movie Heroes Category:Cartoon Heroes Category:Selfless Category:Protectors Category:Falsely Accused Category:Possessed/Brainwashed Category:Freedom Fighters Category:Cowards Category:Weaklings